Surgical instrument

Abstract

A surgical blade used for incisions and other surgical operations to be performed in a narrow space or area such as minor surgery that may be performed on the joints and tissues of the foot. The instrument comprises a stem portion which may be received by a handle for holding the instrument, and a blade portion connected from the stem portion and terminating in a tip. The surgical blade is preferably for surgery requiring an incision in the skin followed by cutting of contracted muscle tendon attaching members such as planter aponeuroses with the blade portion having a cutting edge on one side and an incising edge contiguous with the cutting edge formed about the tip and extending partially along the other side of the instrument. The preferred length of the blade portion is on the order of 5-10 millimeters while the preferred width is on the order of 1-3 millimeters.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical instrument comprising: a stem portion, and   a blade portion extending from the stem portion,   said blade portion being elogated having a linearly extending cutting edge along one side thereof and an incising edge at the tip of the blade portion contiguous with the cutting edge and extending arcuately in a U-shape about the tip partially along and terminating at the other side of the blade portion,   the cross-section of the blade portion along the cutting edge being beveled on said one side and flat dull edged on said other side except at the incising edge,   the major length of said other side of said blade portion being dulled and generally parallel to the cutting edge,   the width of said blade portion being on the order of 1-3 millimeters,   the thickness of said blade portion being on the order of 0.25-1.0 millimeter, and   the length of the incising edge extending about the other side of the blade portion being at least 1 millimeter but less than the total length of the blade portion.   
     
     
       2. A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cutting edge has a length on the order of at least 5 millimeters. 
     
     
       3. A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 2 wherein said cutting edge has a length in the range on the order of 5-10 millimeters. 
     
     
       4. A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein the width of said blade portion is greater than the thickness and the length is greater than the width. 
     
     
       5. A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 4 wherein said width is at least on the order of twice the thickness and said length is at least on the order of twice the width. 
     
     
       6. A surgical instrument as set forth in claim 1 wherein said stem portion tapers from a larger width to a smaller width at the stem, blade connection with the smaller width being less than the width of the blade portion.